You've got mail!
by LenoreKingsley
Summary: Ruby Rose only dreamed of the day she'd be given an invitation to Beacon Academy, the greatest university you could hope for. That dream became a reality at the cost of skipping a year of schooling, but is that the only cost? University life at Beacon gets complicated for Ruby due to a certain pen pal of hers. AU in the RWBY-verse. University setting. Fluff/Humor/Romance/Drama.
1. A little green envelope

A gentle breeze rolled into the town square of Beacon, filling the senses of passerbys with spring's delight and life. It was a dreary winter for all the continents, so the uplifting weather was quite the welcomed change. Now that the cold had settled into the earth so that the warmth of the sun could once again saturate everything it touched, people were more inclined to roam about and be active. Winter had a way to bring about a sedentary lifestyle, but for Ruby Rose, she was quite the opposite busy bee. Her winter in Signal was spent applying every bit of energy she had—and more—to get her academics scores high and catch the right kind of attention from a university. It wasn't that she was a try-hard, rather, she just knew when to apply herself for the right situations.

This being one of them, of course.

There was one school in particular she shot for; Beacon Academy. It was a rather prestigious school that didn't accept its students—it _invited_ them. It was quite an honor if you were invited to Beacon Academy, especially from a bland—in comparison—town like Signal. Her sister, Yang, was one such individual who held that honor a couple years back when she received the formal letter. Ruby knew her odds weren't as well off as Yang's; Her sister was talented, charismatic, not to mention independent. Ruby shared in her sister's adept nature, but she was far less elegant—not that Yang was necessarily elegant, but she was far less awkward than her younger sister—and Ruby had no idea how life outside of Signal worked. If you talked about Small-Town-Syndrome, Ruby was the poster child. Big city lights and booming noises were foreign for her, but she still aimed for that school regardless. It was where her sister was and she might as well join her. Of course, Ruby still had a year left before she could be considered for admittance, so that letter wouldn't arrive for quite some time.

Or so she thought.

"Hey, Ruby! Over here!" A familiar voice beckoned as the jittery Ruby eagerly ate up the view. The weather was so inviting here in Beacon, and even if she's just hopped off the light rail, Ruby could already tell the populace would be just as kind. She had only passed a few small strip mall shops on her way to a special coffee shop date with her sister, Yang, and everyone she passed had a grin. It seemed peaceful, like everyone had their own reasons to smile. Even as she brought her attention to her sister, Yang had the biggest smile of all. Of course, Ruby knew her reason why. Clad in a knee-length black dress that flounced out a bit with a red sweater with matching tights and black boots for good measure, Ruby scrambled over to the outdoor patio table that her sister was occupying at the cafe.

"Hey, Sis!" Ruby greeted Yang anxiously, pulling up her roll-away suitcase beside an empty chair before settling down into the empty seat. Yang had a smug look on her face, obviously way too eager for the reunion. The last time they saw each other was during the Holidays, so it had only been a few months, but that was far too long for the pair. Ruby and Yang were two peas in a pod—despite having different mothers—and even a week apart would be too long for them to bear.

"So, did you find the place just fine?"

"Yeah...you didn't tell me this place would be so _huge_!"

"Well, of course! It's one of the largest places you could be at, not to mention home of ol' Beacon Academy!" Yang interjected, throwing a glance over her shoulder to guide Ruby's vision of the large estate on the horizon. A single tower that hung high in the sky was all that was needed to distinguish the auspicious place. Before Ruby could even speak up, Yang quickly turned back to Ruby with a large, smug smile. "So, are you going to let me see it?" She asked quietly, as if hiding a dirty little secret from the world. Ruby merely sighed in the face of her sister's excitement.

"Y'know it's just a piece of paper, right, Yang?"

"It's not just _any_ piece of paper, Ruby! I don't think this piece of paper has _ever_ existed before! It's not everyday that someone gets to skip a year of senior high and hop-skip-jump to Beacon Academy!"

"Really?" Ruby inquired quizzically, almost shocked. She frowned and pulled out the deep green envelope in question and revealed the contents; a single tri-fold letter. "I've no idea how this happened, if that's the case."

Yang was quick with her reflexes and already snatched the paper from Ruby's hands. Her eyes scanned the paper greedily, her expression practically glowing at this point. Ruby had been excited, but she couldn't help but feel bashful in light of her sister's joy. "Ruby Rose," Yang began after a dramatized clearing of her throat. "It is with great pride that I write to you and inform you that you have been selected and deemed worthy of the Beacon Academy sigil. It would be with great honor and humbled joy if you were to read this document and all of its content for consideration of attendance of Beacon Academy in the spring semester." That was the only line that really mattered, at least to Yang, because she practically threw the paper back to Ruby and slung her arms across the table to hold her sister's hands.

"Do you know what this means, Ruby?!"

"That I should probably frame that?"

"We can be roommates again!"

"Wh-what? Really?!" Ruby shouted back to her sister, their interaction starting to gather attention from a few customers who also populated the patio. Yang squeezed her sister's hands and gave her a reaffirming wink. Ruby knew her sister had roommates before, they were her close friends. Yet, hearing this gave her confidence. If she were forced to room all alone with some stranger while in a huge, foreign place like Beacon, she might drown in the pressure. "B-But, what about Nilla? Isn't she your current roommate?"

"Yeah, well, I think Nilla is going to get a place off campus with her boyfriend for the spring semester. That, and I can't just leave you to fend for yourself completely." Yang snickered to herself momentarily. "Just don't think you can survive with just me as a confidant though. You gotta break open and get to know others, too. Hey, didn't you get that pen pal thing a couple months ago, too?"

Ruby blinked and pulled out her scroll, unlatching the clasp so that it expanded. The electronic screen flashed on and with the flick of a finger, a few documents were pulled up. Ruby knew exactly what Yang was referring to. Apparently, to make life at a university easier for first years, the school sets up pen pals for the freshmen so they can form budding friendships before the beginning of the next term. Some of them are people who have been in attendance at Beacon Academy for a while, whereas others are new this coming semester like Ruby was. In her bin of contacts were several names, much to the surprise of Yang.

"Wow, didn't think you'd be this eager, Ruby."

"Hey, I know what a big deal this is, and I might as well take whatever head start I can to people _not_ hating me, if possible." Ruby remarked lightly, knowing that she'd likely be ridiculed for her position at Beacon. She was expecting one of two things; great praise of great opposition. Likely the latter more than the former, unfortunately, but that was fine. Ruby didn't want to create a scene with people scrutinizing her, so she would rather try and make peace before it could even spark, hence her participation with the pen pal program. Ruby idly flicked through the list of contacts, eyeing them as they floated by. There was a Jaune that seemed rather enjoyable and a constant replier for Ruby. He was also new to the Academy this semester. What she could gather from the boy was that he was just as eager as Ruby was for this opportunity, albeit easily discouraged, it seemed. Still, Ruby was excited for when they would be able to meet in person officially. Another new student she only replied to a few times was a bit of a snotty girl named Weiss. It seemed like whatever Ruby tried to start a conversation with, Weiss would just use it as kindling to instigate a fight. Yet, they still responded to each other, which had to account for something civil, right?

Aah, then there was one guy, apparently already enrolled in the Academy, who didn't take this thing seriously at all. She never knew who his name was—as it was his assignment to contact a new student than the other way around—but he mustn't have taken it very seriously. They started up a conversation, normal as any, but he seemed odd. Not creative odd, but just..._odd_. He'd ask her questions about herself, and Ruby would back, but it seemed like she wasn't his cup of person as the responses came to a slowed halt. Well, not that it mattered, because out of the list, there were two she could dependably rely upon. Er, Jaune at least. Weiss was still a mystery unsolved for the fateful friend or foe question.

Ruby felt herself lose focus on the anonymous pen pal however. He was more of an enigmatic thing than Weiss. She didn't even know his name. Just that he had been enrolled for two years, was a bit of a sarcastic piece of material, and carried the demeanor of a cynical gentleman. What kind of person could that be? Before she could think more on this, Yang snapped her fingers and stole all of Ruby's attention away. The youngest sister was quick to snap her scroll back shut and glance up.

"Eh, was I zoning?"

"Definitely zoned to Zoneville."

"Aah, sorry! Well, hey, I'm here now and we have a few days before classes begin. What should we do?" Ruby asked curiously, knowing her sister would be the best tour guide. Judging by the lighting, it was onset early evening—likely five o'clock of somewhere in the neighborhood—and Ruby didn't know what there was to do. In Signal, on a weekend, there was always the arcades and karaoke clubs with some childhood friends, but this definitely wasn't Signal. Just the one outlet mall in the town square they were at was overwhelming! Yang laughed and slowly rose from her seat, rolling her eyes at Ruby's innocence to the big city scene.

"Tell you what, I'll go inside and grab you a cup of hot cocoa and we'll go for a quick walk. I promised my freshman pen pal that I'd go pick her up at the transit station in about a half hour, so we don't have time to gawk at everything just yet." Yang suggested, catching Ruby's attention instantly.

"You have a freshman pen pal too?"

"Yeah, almost all of the students previously enrolled have to contact a freshie. Mine's pretty cool, actually. Her name's Blake."

"Aah, but if it's that soon, we can just go straight there together. I don't mind waiting to see the sights if this girl hasn't seen them either. It's only fair and I can be patient for a little bit longer." Ruby insisted, gaining a favored smile from her sister. "Oh, and make sure there's little marshmallows inside the cocoa if you're insisting on treating me! They're what make it taste better and it makes me more, uh, patient!"

The blonde haired sister laughed as she came to fully stand beside the table, stretching as she did so. Ruby took note of the cream colored sweater she wore with black thigh-highs and similarly dark skirt and boots. Her sister was definitely more of a looker than she was, and she definitely dressed for her body type. Ruby kinda felt inferior in that department, but hey, if Yang was that pretty then Ruby had a semblance of hope. "Alright, alright, I'll make sure there are extra marshmallow puffs even. Just wait here, I'll be right back." Yang remarked as she waved her sister off and entered the inside of the cafe. Ruby watched her walk off, noting her sister's confident stride. It sort of made Ruby feel proud of herself. For once, she was more than recognized for her talents. Hell, if Yang was right, then being invited to Beacon was the greatest honor she could hope for. Nothing could dash her luck right now.

A loud crashing sound could be heard from across the town square, quickly catching Ruby's attention. It looked like there was a scuffle between two guys, but she couldn't quite make out any details from so far away. One was incredibly tall with broad shoulders and black hair while the other was slender and light on his feet, but that wasn't the feature that struck her the most. It was the flounce of orange that hugged the other boy's head, swaying in the light breeze as his right eye remained hidden behind it. Ruby's eyes widened as she could hear the larger man yelling while the other seemed disinterested. They stood in the center of the square beside a large fountain while people just passed them by and continued on with their daily routines. '_I wonder what's going on?_' Ruby thought idly as she continued to snoop over her shoulder. Hopefully they weren't creating trouble. Albeit her small stature, Ruby would be the first to stand up and defend anyone in need. She had a strong moral compass, just like her mother.

Just when things seemed to have resolve between the two individuals and Ruby began to straighten her posture—glad not needing to intervene in anything—another loud noise echoed in the square. This time, it was a large, resounding splash. Ruby whipped her head around to see the large male head first into the fountain while the ginger man was...gone? Ruby blinked in quick succession, thoroughly confused.

Where the hell could he have gone?

"Hello, Red."

Ruby yelped audibly and straightened in her chair, her eyes shooting up to meet a single emerald eye. Here, up close and leaning on the fence to the patio was the orange-haired man in question. He seemed so relaxed and without a care, judging by his aloof expression and grin. He had a black sweater on with equally dark slacks and shoes on. He certainly looked far too dapper than he ought to, all things considered. Ruby scowled at him, confused at his introduction.

"Er, hey, you shouldn't just push people into fountains." Ruby remarked, shrugging off the other's greeting.

"He deserved it, trust me."

"Yeah, well that doesn't mean you get the right to push people around—"

Ruby was infinitely silenced as the man hopped the fence and came to stand by Yang's vacant seat. Just who did this guy think he was? Without even an invitation, he sat down onto the chair and scooted closer to Ruby, despite her obviously hesitance

"Ooh, so this is the famed letter?"

"What're you—hey!" Ruby shouted as the man had managed to flick the acceptance letter into his own hands, to Ruby's dismay. "Look, I don't even know who the hell you are! Now give me my letter back!"

"Hm?" The man finally turned his gaze back to Ruby, his vibrant green eyes searching her silver orbs for only a moment before his aloof appearance returned. He released the letter and smiled more sincerely. "Oh, where are my manners, I—"

"Roman!" A loud gurgling battle cry shouted from the surface of the fountain, dripping with rage and embarrassment. At that, the ginger snickered and leaned in closer to Ruby. She leaned back in her seat, but that didn't stop the other from placing a single hand above her knee while bringing his head closer to hers. Ruby's face grew nine shades of red within seconds. Hey, she hadn't had a real relationship with anyone before, so for a stranger to stroll on up to her like this was unexpected and flustering.

"H-Hey, what're you doin'?!" Ruby interjected, whipping her head away from his while squeezing her eyes shut. He didn't seemed deterred, as he placed his other hand just underneath her chin, guiding back her line of vision back to him. At this, she peeked at him, noting how smug he was.

"Sorry, but I gotta have you help me become inconspicuous. I'll owe you one, Red."

Then, Ruby was infinitely silenced.

This strange man, whoever he was, just wandered up to her, took her sister's seat, and had his lips hovering over hers. They weren't quite kissing—as Ruby was frozen solid—but the man wanted it to look like they were to anyone passing by. From their close proximity, Ruby's wide silver eyes were given a wonderful view of the eccentric green hues of the man in front of her. '_Just what the hell—?!_' Ruby thought frantically as she heard loud footsteps trounce out of earshot. Realistically, the shared space moment had only lasted a solid ten seconds, at best. Why did it feel like hours?

The man swiftly pulled back and returned to a normal slouched position in the chair, taking his hands off of Ruby completely. Ruby inhaled loudly, not realizing she had been holding her breath the entire time. She fanned her face with her hand, cooling off the color from her face. She may be wearing red, and her hair might have had a red ombre into her black roots, but her face certainly didn't need to be red too.

"My apologies, people tend to look away from kissing couples, so let's just say I owe you—"

"You can't just do that! And we're no couple and we weren't kissing!"

"Do you want to be?"

"Excuse me?"

"Aah, you really are a goody-goody. You're just like your messages."

Ruby glared daggers at the man, about ready to finish the job the taller man was intending to do. This guy just walks up, invades her space, and starts throwing strange accusations at her like he knows her! Which, speaking of, he couldn't. Her hands balled up into tight fists as her frustrations grew. "Messages? Just who the hell do you think you are?!" Ruby shouted at him, clearly still frazzled at the situation. The man paused long enough to note Ruby's expression before bursting out in a fit of laughter. Before she could say any more, he pulled out a dark bowler hat with a bright red band on it, placing it on top of his head. He then fluidly moved up and slid out of the chair, all the while dipping his hat and head in a sort of bow while grinning wildly at her.

"Torchwick, since that is my name. Roman Torchwick." He replied, his voice a bit more velvety than it had been previously. With a wink, he clicked his heels and began turning away, but not before he whispered a final message.

"Try not to forget it, Red."

oooOOOoooOOOoooOOOooo

**Howdy! This is Lenore, reporting for duty! This is an idea I've had for a while that I finally managed to publish. What if the RWBY verse had the same setting/location/characters but with a lack of Grimm and other magical properties. No dust, no oncoming war, nor insane weaponry. The only beasties these guys will tackle are the woes of homework and university life. I'm not planning on making this huge, just a small little project before I begin something bigger. Expect a few more chapters though! Let me know what you think in the comments/review section below! It helps motivate me and keep me in good spirits. If you couldn't tell, I've fallen for the Rosewick ship. I'm not sure how I got here, but I'm here to stay and glad about it. Everyone is so nice and I hope my fellow Rosewickers enjoy this! Until next time!**


	2. New Message!

Ruby had been left alone to stew with her thoughts, and quite frankly, that was the worst place for her to be in. Not moments ago, a man not too older than her practically kissed her. It was not consensual, and that's not to mention the fact that he did so with the intentions of throwing a pursuing man off his trail. Of all the reasons to invade someone's space like that, that might have been one of the vilest. Ruby could still feel the waves of heat rolling over her body like a crashing thunderstorm, even after the fact. This man, Roman Torchwick, was a scumbag. The young girl had watched him stroll into a nearby alleyway, and if she weren't so stunned from their interactions prior, the adventurous side of her would have tailed him. A sigh escaped her, one that was exasperated and worn. With any luck, she'd never run into that guy again, unless it was to tell him off. She may have been an innocent thing, but Ruby knew that Roman was way to forward for comfort. Part of her wanted to wring his neck out for using her like that, especially for the means of escaping trouble. A far different part became morbidly curious as to who this man was, but that was the part she was struggling with the most. Ruby had always been the ragtag kind of girl that often got into trouble because of ambition and interests alone. If she met this man again and chose to pursue him like that tall man had attempted to do so before, would she find herself backed into a corner facing trouble as well?

"Here's your hot chocolate!" Yang's familiar voice shouted just beside her sister. Apparently, Ruby had been lost in thought to a degree that led her older sister to sneak up on her without notice. The youngest sibling jolted upright in her seat, clearly unnerved. Yang couldn't help but laugh while handing the lidded cup over to the shaking Ruby. "Jeez, I didn't think I was _that_ intimidating!"

"No, it's not you...it's just..." Ruby stammered, leftover flustering from before returning once again. This instantly caught Yang's curiosity. She shifted her weight to one hip and crossed her arms, her slender eyebrows cocking up to reveal an inquisitive stare.

"_Hmmm_?"

"It's nothing, really, I just met a weird guy just now and—"

"Ruby! I've been attending Beacon Academy for a full year and have hardly been talked to by any serious guys, and now you're telling me that—while I was fetching you your damn drink—that you were propositioned? _By a guy_?!" Yang boomed, partly in excitement and overly protective vigor. "How long have you been here for? Not even a full day, hell, not even a full hour!"

"It wasn't like that!" Ruby exclaimed loudly, quickly standing up while throwing her arms out to her sister. It actually was quite like that though. A flustering mess of an interaction. Though, if she said that, then her sister would really go crazy and heavily barrage her with questions she didn't have any answers to. With an uneven whimper, Ruby began to pout as she spoke. "I'm serious. He was...I dunno, something else. I won't have to deal with that ever again though. This is a pretty big place, I doubt it'll mean trouble for me."

"Yeah, and if it does spell trouble, well, you just let your big sister Yang take care of everything."

"I'd rather not have you wind up in jail for brutality and murder, Sis."

"Details, details!"

Silver eyes rolled in amusement as Yang gave the notion of jail time little attention. All that really mattered to the two of them were each other and family. If the roles were reversed, Ruby would have said something similar to her sister, though her sister was well equipped to handle any guy that was advancing on her. Certainly she had to practice a bit of that hulking strength of hers once or twice already. Being an attractive young woman at an academy with young men everywhere, Yang was bound to have a creep or two stalk her. Ruby remember hearing about one incident of a guy following her to and from the showers, but the next time she spoke with Yang, she told her the guy "voluntarily switched schools" after a brief conversation. I was likely as voluntary as Ruby had been when that orange haired punk sank into her private bubble, with a heavy emphasis on voluntary.

Ruby gave her drink a quick gulp. The smooth chocolate liquid warmed her throat and reassured her of her surroundings. It was just her and Yang, and soon to be this new acquaintance of theirs, this Blake girl. No more Roman Torchwick to bother her now. Oh, but that was another thing. Blake would be here soon, and while the station was a short walk away, they really ought to be going. With a brief reminder of this, the two sisters agreed on parting with the cafe scene and began to make their way back to the train station where Ruby had come from a short while ago. The two sisters talked idly as they made their way back to that familiar spot, the oldest sister being more animated while the youngest remained more collective as she sipped away at her drink greedily. It was a rather good beverage, and the biggest shame of all was when there were only a few marshmallow morsels left in the cup with no more liquid to be seen. With a sour look, Ruby tossed the emptied cup into a nearby bin as they entered the open-mouthed terminal of the station. The two sisters stood around for a short time, busying themselves with conversing once more. Yang leaned against a nearby wall while Ruby took to resting on her luggage case. It hadn't taken very long for a loud, softened bell to toll. It was a signal for the next arriving train, which perked the sisters' interests immediately.

"Oh, it looks like this is the train!" Yang chirped joyously. Without hesitance, Yang pushed off the wall and took a step forward, eyeing the passengers as they filtered out. Ruby joined her sister near the platform, speculating just who this mysterious girl could be that Yang was picking up. As long as she wasn't a crude thing like that Weiss girl she had as a pen pal, things would be okay. That was when Ruby forgot her grip over her luggage bag. The wheeled bag wobbled to the side and timbered down to the ground in front of one of the passengers who just departed the train. Ruby froze rigid in place, paling from embarrassment.

"I am so sorry! I lost my grip and—"

"You _better_ apologize! I nearly fell over!" A young voice cried out indignantly. As Ruby scurried to pull her luggage back upright, her silver eyes flitted up to meet those of the icy blue hues which belonged to a young white haired woman before her. The girl had her hair up into a ponytail that gravitated slightly to the side, the color of which mirrored her pristine white trench coat dress she wore with tall, slender white boots. She was the image of purity and grave, though she wore the largest frown Ruby has ever seen. This left her with a pout.

"Hey, I said I was sorry. It was an accident."

"Accident or not, you nearly cost me a leg! If I had fallen over, then I could have seriously damaged my belongings tucked in my bag, not to mention myself. Do you even realize how detrimental it would have been for me? It would have been your fault, too! You should think next time before you decided to be so careless."

"Well, good thing it didn't happen then! Look, I apologized, but I don't think you have to be so overboard because of this. No harm, no foul." Ruby barked back, now visibly getting upset. This was so ridiculous. Yes, she was a little spacey, so she'd take claim for that. What she would not accept was this blatant excuse this girl was using to instigate a fight for no other real reason aside from the fact that she could. Ruby then deadpanned suddenly, her eyes sizing up the girl before her once more. The angry lady was certainly an icy thing, and she certainly was a grave reminder of a different pen pal Ruby had that she really wished she hadn't been given.

"Uh, hey, by chance, are you Weiss Schnee?"

"Of course I am. It's a good thing you recognize me now. If you really apologize sincerely now, I'll accept it and be on my way."

"No, that's not happening. I'm not apologizing, it's just that I know you. You were my pen pal for a short while. I'm Ruby, Ruby Rose." Weiss took a moment to process the information Ruby just supplied. It was now the icy girl's turn to deadpan and stare upon the spunky girl before her. Her complacent expression quickly darkened to a grim one, her frown pressing into a deeper line. Ruby flinched at this, noticing the change in her face. Clearly this girl remembered her.

"Ugh, I nearly forgot. I really thought I'd never hear from _you_ again."

"So you do remember me?"

"I only had one pen pal, so yeah, it'd be hard to forget."

"Oh..."

"I hope you realize this doesn't make us friends or anything. Though, you'll owe me for nearly tripping me and my luggage over."

"Well, this sounds oddly familiar..." Ruby remarked, suddenly remembering a certain ginger. "And I didn't do anything wrong to you."

"No, you didn't, but Weiss is a bit edgy from the ride, I think." A new voiced called out. From behind Weiss, a young woman came out. She was clad in all black, head to toe. Almost an exact opposite to Weiss in every where. Where her hair as white, this new girl had long black tresses that laid over her body, sparkling yellow eyes surveying the scene before her. She was cool and collective, unlike the fuming Weiss. "I know we've only just met on the train, but something tells me this wasn't your fault, Weiss," the girl remarked, leaving Weiss with a smug grin. "and it's not her fault, either." At this, Weiss stomped and growled behind clenched teeth. With a reluctant sigh, the white haired girl trounced off to the side, given the black haired girl space to the leave the train.

"You know, Blake, I thought you were a dignified individual too."

"I just know how to tell right from wrong, I guess." Blake responded with, barely giving the now outraged Weiss any attention. At the mention of her name, Yang—nearly forgotten—quickly jumped over and wrapped her arms around the new arrival while shouting out her name. This caught Blake quite off guard, but she adjusted to the bodily contact in short time.

"Blake! You're finally here! How was your ride?" Yang asked happily, slowly letting go of the girl. Blake nodded, a gentle smile on her face. Ruby couldn't help but stare on at her. She was incredibly mysterious looking and held a certain charm. Her eyes were a stark, dazzling contrast to her dark attire, a feature that could distract anyone. She certainly seemed mature, and likely was treated like the poised lady she appeared to be. It was slightly intimidating, but also inspiring.

"Oh, everything's quite fine. I appreciate you coming here. I crossed paths with Weiss on the train, who helped pass the time with me once I had finished my novel." Blake explained to Yang in a prompt manner, her bright eyes rolling over to notice Ruby's slender form. "Who's this?" After a brief introduction to Weiss, Yang turned her attention back to Blake.

"This is my sister, Ruby Rose. She's just been accepted this year, too, and got to skip a year because of it!" Yang explained proudly, her chest puffed our like a jolly mother hen. Blake nodded at the words, a quiet congratulatory comment leaving her lips at the same time. The remark grabbed the attention of Weiss for the most part, who was now staring at Ruby with a slack jawed expression.

"There is _no way_ you were accepted this early. Head Admin Professor Ozpin would never allow anyone bellow admittance age within the academy!" Weiss snapped, eyeing Ruby up and down with reluctance. Ruby groaned quietly, hating the attention on her, and specifically the flaming hate which ensued from Weiss.

"That's enough, Weiss." Blake quietly told the lighter colored girl before turning back towards Yang. "Could you bring us to the academy together, Yang? I know I said I'd be available to browse the town, but I'd like to drop my belongings off at my room, if you wouldn't mind."

"Of course! We'll all four go there together!"

"_Four_? Are you including _me_ as well?" Weiss inquired, her pointed brows sharply turned.

"Yes, you too! We can all go out together, since I doubt any of you have other plans?" Everyone remained quiet for a moment, which told Yang that no one had any reason to object. "Great! We'll go to karaoke tonight and bond! Hey, you know it's not too late to apply for a quad room at the campus, maybe we should do that!" Yang shouted boldly to the girls that followed behind her. Everyone had their own reactions to that, but Ruby couldn't help imagining what sort of life that would be. She wasn't sure she'd be able to handle that kind of an atmosphere, but time would tell. The four girls walked on for a half hour, passing the scenery of the city. The populace was starting to turn over from the daytime cheeriness to the night owls that thrived in the chilled nightlife. Signs and door lights to stores were starting to flick on in preparation for the coming events of the evening, which captured Ruby's attention completely. It was a sight she was unused to, so seeing the life swell in the city square left her with wide eyed adoration. Being so enraptured with the sights and sounds, she hardly noticed her immediate surroundings and the several passerby were all faceless to her due to that grand excitement she held for the large city.

By this point, they had made it to the large academy gates. After Yang describing her small band of girls to the guard at the door—who seemed more than happy to talk to her sister—the man agreed to take their bags and luggage up to their dorm room for them, insisting the girls go out for their first night. After a few reassurances to Weiss that all the luggage would be handled with care, the four girls were quick to depart the academy gates, but not without a girly wave of thanks from Yang.

"You know how to woo a guy." Ruby remarked with a giggle, now strolling beside her sister. Blake was on the other side of Yang at this point, with Weiss on the other side of Blake. They all walked in time with each other, despite their varied heights, which surprised Ruby. Despite some trivial tension, Ruby noticed the strangely welcoming atmosphere their group had. They all must have noticed at this point. While she couldn't hear the whole conversation Yang had with the man, she was almost positive that the older sister requested a large enough dorm room for the four of them, too. Ruby had thought it a joke, but it seemed her sister wasn't kidding about it. In fact, it seemed like she was the most eager to have a group bonding experience.

The girls eventually found themselves back at the city square. The populace was completely overturned by the nightlife, couples and parties of people dotting the streets and filling the glowing fluorescent shops. Out of the four, Ruby was the most big eyed to the scenes that played out around them. There were all sorts of different people that surrounded them, a varying amount. Ruby nearly forgot Yang was leading them somewhere until they arrived at the brightly lit bar. It stood out due to the welcoming warm hues of light that spilled out of the windows. It was a karaoke bar, one that Yang seemed to frequent because she was immediately welcomed in and given a private room. All the girls followed in tow, with Ruby lagging behind the three. She couldn't help it, really. This was a whole new world, one she's never had a glimpse at before. Weiss—from what Ruby could gather from their idle banter on the way here—was used to living a lavished lifestyle. Blake had lived in a city prior to coming to Beacon. Yang had been here for a solid year before Ruby. They were all used to the big city lights and displays of the night life, all but Ruby. That was fine, more gawking for her.

It was then that she stopped in place and the feel of a vibration in her sweater's side pocket. She reached over and pulled out her electronic scroll, noticing the vibrant blue light blinking at her with grave intent. A message? She popped the device opened, which allowed the holographic screen to appear. She slid through her inbox and stared upon the new message with wide eyes. It was from the unnamed pen pal. Her chest instantly tightened, a bit nervous for what it was that they could be messaging her about. With an eager tap of the finger, the message revealed one line of text. It was simple, short, but was enough to freeze her heart solid.

"_Hello again, Red."_

With bright silver eyes, Ruby read over that tiny message again and again, almost in disbelief of the words. The wheels began to turn, and those cryptic words Roman Torchwick spoke earlier were starting to make sense. The messages, his knowing of her acceptance letter, all of it. This was her pen pal, the unnamed cynical gentleman was Roman. Her breath hitched in her chest as she immediately started up a reply of her own, sending it in quick rhythm.

"_Wait, you're that orange haired guy from earlier? Why didn't you tell me who you were?"_

"_'fraid I was too busy 'hiding', remember?"_

"_I can't believe any of this..."_

Out of fear of what would be said next, she nearly locked up her scroll and stuffed it back away in her sweater pocket. After all, her friends and sister were waiting for her in their private room, and she really ought to get back to them before they got curious. Enough wasting time on this enigmatic Roman Torchwick and more of her getting on with her life. Yet, as she was prepared to snap the scroll shut, another blink signaled yet another quick response, which her prying eyes couldn't help but read.

"_Hey, I can't believe you're as innocent and naive in person as you are in your messages. It's quite surprising to see someone so pure, I'll give you that, kid."_

Her face grew a shade brighter at the accusation, frowning before sending off what she vowed would be her final message for the night.

"_Shaddup, you don't know me! You're also the one that waltzed in on me, remember that? You should stop messaging me. Now. I didn't realize just how much of a creep you were."_

His final message flicked on by, causing her to yelp audibly.

"_Then what are you glancing around so hopeful for?"_

Ruby shuddered as she stuffed her scroll back in her sweater and spun in place, looking all over for anyone in sight. Just beyond her was the hallway of private rooms, but over her shoulder she could spy the open bar area. It was littered with several bar stools and booths, with nearly as many people occupying said areas. She wasn't one for drinking—regardless of not being of legal drinking age—so she had no reason to venture out into that area. Yet, as the crowd of moving bodies shifted, Ruby's silver eyes caught glimpse of something bright in that darkened atmosphere. Just beyond a schmoozing couple was a single man, reclining into the booth.

His finely pressed black slacks and button up were rather fancy among the dancers and other drinkers, but it wasn't the white vest he wore which stood out the most to her. It was that infamous flop of orange hair that swept over one eyes, and the glisten of the other emerald eye which locked onto hers from far across the room. There was no need for them to shout over the party goers and drinkers. It was strange, but there was an unspoken thing happening here, she thought. The way he watched her, the way her body screamed out in adventure, but most of all it was the smirk that he soon wore when he realized her hesitance and obvious anxiety upon seeing him. That alone was enough to make her brave enough to take a step forward into the overpopulated bar scene and go straight to Roman Torchwick.

oooOOOoooOOOoooOOOooo

**Hello once again, Lenore here! I'm so sorry for the delay on this chapter, but this Rosewick trash is here to stay, so expect more updates and more frequently! Chapter 3 may be coming sooner than you think. As a note, I am not expecting to put up many chapters for this tale of Roman and Ruby. It mainly serves to warm me up for a future Rosewick story (completely unrelated to this one) I will be making in the future. If you guys like it a lot though, I'll flesh it out more and give it several more chapters, if that's the case. Either way, please rate and review, because you're what makes my world go round! C: Thank you so much for reading, and I will see you in the next chapter. Cheers!**

**PS I also changed the title to something I found more suiting. Enjoy!**


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